In 1916, the French Naval Aviation
didn't own any fighter-seaplane able to escort patrol aircraft
belonging to NAS Dunkerque during the WWI. That's why the French
Admiralty called its British counterpart for help. The RNAS delivered
two Sopwith "Baby" in April. Those two aircraft (No 8128 & 8129)
were equipped with a Clerget engine of 100 hp. Later, five brand new
planes built at Leeds were delivered at Dunkerque in January 1917.
Contrary to the previous examples, those ones were equipped with a
Clerget engine of 130 hp. In September, the Hanriot company took
order of 7 examples, in fact 17 planes were finally built under
license. In December 1916, one of those examples was sent to
Hanriot's plants at Billancourt as a model. And on August 2nd 1917,
the French Navy purchased 7 additional Sopwith and 17 examples built
under license at Billancourt.

Mid-1917, the French Navy, took
delivery of 4 examples sold by the British government. On January 3rd
1917, a new order of 10 planes was taken by the SACA company. The
Sopwiths remained in service until the end of the war and surviving
ones were discommissioned later. This
seaplane was known as the "Sopwith 130 ch Clerget" in the Aviation
Maritime Française (French Naval Aviation), its English
designation - "Baby" had never been used by French sailors &
pilots.